Chronic Disease Series

Arthritis
Arthritis can cause kidney disease, blindness, and early death. Arthritis causes pain, stiffness, and swelling of joints and tissues.
Common kinds of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (also known as Lupus or SLE), and scleroderma.

Asthma
Asthma is a common disease affecting the lungs. There is no cure for asthma, but it can be controlled. With treatment, a person with asthma can live an active life. If left untreated, asthma can severely impact a person's life.
Asthma affects the airways in the lungs. People with asthma have airways that are extra sensitive to different things in the environment such as cigarette smoke, dust mites and mold. When people with asthma breathe in these things, their airways become inflamed and swollen. Air can't get through the airways and it is harder to breathe.
Asthma is a chronic disease. It is a lifelong condition that can cause permanent damage if it is not treated properly. Asthma is not contagious, but it often runs in families that have a history of asthma and allergies. Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood and the number one reason why children miss school.

Cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled, it may result in death. Most types of cancer cells form a lump or mass called a tumor and are named after the part of the body where the tumor originates. Cancer is caused by both external and internal factors.

Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in your body. Your body needs cholesterol to function normally, but when there is too much cholesterol, it is deposited in your arteries, including those in the heart. This can lead to narrowing of the arteries and to heart disease.

COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a chronic inflammatory lung disease. It is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. COPD encompasses a group of long-term lung diseases, most commonly chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis causes inflammation and mucus build-up in the bronchial tubes, which carry air to the lungs. The narrowing of these tubes, in addition to the mucus, leads to obstructed air-flow and a persistent cough. Emphysema slowly damages the alveoli, or tiny air sacs in the lung, causing their inner walls to weaken and rupture. Alveoli damage reduces the amount of oxygen that can reach the bloodstream, resulting in shortness of breath. Most cases of COPD involve both of these conditions to varying degrees.

Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious chronic disease. If left uncontrolled and unmanaged, the progression of the disease is more rapid, with more devastating complications and possible premature death.Prediabetes is another serious condition, in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. It can put you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. But diabetes can be controlled. It can even be prevented!Through healthy lifestyle modifications individuals can better manage, prevent or delay the onset of type II diabetes. Make healthy eating choices, increase your daily physical activity, maintain a healthy weight, and quit smoking.

Heart Disease
The term heart disease includes several more specific heart conditions. The most common heart disease in the is coronary heart which occurs when the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart, become hardened and narrowed due to buildup of plaque. Plaque may also rupture and cause blood clots that block arteries. Coronary heart disease can lead to a heart attack.

High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the major risk factors for heart disease . High blood pressure is also the number one risk factor for stroke.High blood pressure is sometimes called a "silent killer" because it usually has no symptoms until serious problems develop. However, the condition is easily detected and can usually be controlled.Maintaining a normal blood pressure level can reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disease and is classified under the umbrella of arthritis. With lupus, the immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. This response causes inflammation, injury to tissues, fatigue, and pain. The disease can vary from mild, affecting only a few organs, to life threatening.

Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is often described as a childhood disease that shows itself in old age. However, osteoporosis is not part of the normal aging process. The word osteoporosis means porous bone. The bone is so thin that it breaks.Osteoporosis is also known as a silent disease, because symptoms are usually absent until a break occurs. Breaks are usually in the hip, spine or wrist, though any bone can be affected.